Building panel construction



y 12, 1964 J. o. SCHLEIG 3,132,446

BUILDING PANEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 18, 1960 INVENTOR. JOHN G, SCHL E/G HIS flTTOENEYJ United States Patent Ofilice 3,132,446 Patented May 12, 1964 The present invention relates to a building panel construction, and more particularly to an improved seam for use in joining building panels; however, the invention is not necessarily so limited.

In recent years frarneless unsupported sheet metal building structures have attained a new prominence in the building industry. Among the factors contributing to this new prominence are the substantial cost savings available in such building structures and improved techniques for reinforcing sheet metal panels. One of the weaknesses of such structures, however, has been that they lack weather tightness. Thus, when sheet metal panels are assembled into an unsupported building structure, the panels have a tendency to flex and bend when subjected to wind currents. This leads to a weakening of the joints between panel members and ultimate water leakage.

There are, of course, comparatively expensive techniques for forming durable weathertight seams between sheet metal panel members; however, inexpensive techniques have been lacking heretofore.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, watertight seam construction for sheet metal panels.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved panel design for use in frameless building structures.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof, the method of manufacture and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawing,

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a frameless building structure embodying the panel construction of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation view taken in the direction of the arrows 33 of FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing in greater detail, FIGURE 1 illustrates a frameless building fabricated with a plurality of parallel sheet metal panels 12. The opposite ends of the panels 12 are embedded in suitable foundations 14 as shown.

In the particular building structure illustrated, which may be a garage for example, the sheet metal panels 12 extend continuously from one foundation to the other, the panel members being provided with a comparatively flat arch so as to form upright side portions and an arched roof portion. As best appears in FIGURE 2, the panel members 12 are also arched from side to side so as to form a deep primary corrugation 16 at the center of the panel. A secondary corrugation or arched rib 18 is formed adjacent each side margin of the panel.

In the design of these panels, the primary corrugation 16 functions to reinforce the panel so as to transmit the weight of the building structure to the foundations 14. Thus, these primary corrugations perform the ordinary function of a frame in a more conventional building construction. The secondary corrugations 18 assist in this function; however, they are employed additionally to provide an improved seam construction between adjacent panels.

This improved seam construction is best seen in FIG- URES 2 and 3. In constructing the seam, the rib 18 in the margin of one panel is nested into the rib 18 in the margin of the adjacent panel. As the ribs are nested together, a cementitious substance 20, such as tar or mastic, is interposed between the two ribs to form a weathertight seal therebetween. After insertion of the cementitious substance, the adjacent panels 12 are firmly joined by means of rivets or comparable fastening devices as illustrated at 22.

The arched ribs 18 in the adjacent panels 12 are formed identically. Thus, these ribs will not mate perfectly when nested one within the other. As the fastening devices 22 are applied, however, the flat surfaces 24 and 26 flanking the ribs 18 are drawn into contact, while simultaneously the inner rib 18 is forced to assume a smaller radius of curvature while the outer rib 18 assumes a larger radius of curvature. That is, the inner rib is placed under a type of compression while the outer rib is placed under tension. This action places the seam under stress and compresses the cementitious substance 20 insuring a weatherproof joint. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, a row of fastening devices 22 is provided on each side of the nested ribs 18.

As emphasized previously, the panels of a frameless building construction are susceptible to bending and twisting when subjected to wind currents. In the absence of the double row of fastening devices as shown, these bending and twisting movements would have a tendency to loosen the cementitious seal between the ribs 18 such that the waterproof joint between the panels would ultimately fail. However, the double row of fastening devices 22 precludes flexing or bending movements of a type that would be destructive to the waterproof seal. In other words, the fastening devices 22 compel the ribs 18 to move in unison such that the cementitious substance therebetween remains substantially undisturbed.

While the present invention has been described with reference to sheet metal panels which have been arched in such a manner as to provide a building structure having upright sides and an arched roof, it is to be understood that the practice of this invention is not limited to panel designs of this specific type. Rather, it will occur to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be employed with panel members which follow a straight course without arching and, further, in panel members which may be continuously arched. It will also occur to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be also used in association with plane panel members having no primary reinforcing corrugation, such as illustrated at 16, as well as panel members reinforced with other devices.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A seam construction for joining adjacent panel members having overlapping margins comprising an arched rib portion formed in each of said overlapping margins and extending along the length of each margin, said rib portions being initially substantially identical in size and shape and being nested one within the other, there being flat panel surfaces flanking each rib portion along the length thereof, a cementitious substance interposed between said rib portions so as to form a seal therebetween, and a plurality of fastening devices, there being one row of fastening devices extending along each side of said nested ribs for drawing the fiat surfaces adjacent said ribs into contacting relation, said rib portions, upon being forced one into the other by operation of said fastening devices, yielding whereby the one rib portion is received by the other and the cementitious substance therebetween is subjected to compression, the yielding action of said rib portions subjecting one rib portion to compression and the other rib portion to tension.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Battelle June 21, 1887 Todd May 23, 1911 Knutson Feb. 27, 1934 Pavlecka et a1. I an. 14, 1941 Martin Apr. 19, 1960 

